Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 249 Beneath the Iceberg

Has that ship been found?

〖It has been found......〗

Is something wrong?

"No major problems, the main issue is that we might not have enough fuel to head straight back to the Land of Rivers... I don't recall any of the seized assets including a fuel refinery. Could this be the only one of its kind?"

"Don't worry, the three prisoners have already been sent to the Land of Snow. We'll have the intelligence department thoroughly examine their minds then."

"A film crew from the mainland? Which movie crew?" The military patrol was confirming the last information. In fact, when they saw Naruto's appearance, they already knew who the visitors were, but they still had to put on an act and show a friendly signal.

"Could it be that you're also from the mainland?"

"We're just a group of kind-hearted passersby who couldn't bear to see this place being ravaged by bullies, so we intervened." The black-haired youth at the head of the group sheathed his sword, stepped forward, and extended his hand. "We've heard that Konoha ninjas live in the world in the name of benevolence and righteousness, so we're sure to have a lot in common. My name is Tian Dan, captain of the Third Company. On behalf of the Land of Snow, I welcome you."

The other party's friendly attitude stunned Kakashi, who was secretly observing. The other party's few words revealed crucial information:

1. They come from the mainland and are not native ninjas of the Land of Snow.

2. They pride themselves on being a "benevolent and righteous army," and most likely do not approve of the rule of Feng Hua Nu Tao.

3. Their numbers are definitely not small, and they may have already gained control of the country.

These are things he could quickly think of, and Naruto should be able to think of them too. As the situation remains unclear, he has no intention of taking the initiative to come out.

"Thank you." Naruto also seemed a little flustered. If his malicious intent perception wasn't wrong, then Naruto must have decided to shake hands with the other person only when he was confident... right?

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, a Jonin of Konoha. May I ask you what kind of bully you're referring to...?"

“Wind, Flower, and Raging Waves,” a white-haired ninja waiting nearby said matter-of-factly. “That guy is already dead. You can’t be here to film him, can you?”

What?! Who died?!

"Of course we're not here to film that bastard! Wait, you mean Fuuka Nutō is dead?" Naruto looked shocked, but his expression showed more surprise than anything else.

“Yeah, he’s dead. It was too easy for him to die.” A young man with reddish-brown hair from another direction chimed in, his tone weak and listless. “He hasn’t even had a trial yet. This guy should just go to the mines and dig until he dies.”

"And you're only allowed to eat one meal a day!"

"Let another person stand to the side and whip him."

"Alright, what are you talking about in front of the guests!" Tian Dan snapped, stopping her teammates' complaints. Turning around, she said softly, "Sorry, they're just angry after learning more about this place. Our previous attack was on the mines, and the miners there basically live the kind of life they're talking about."

Naruto shook his head vigorously and said, "You are all true to your nature. Isn't it only right that you help those in need? Now that Ryuta is dead, who will rule the Land of Snow now?"

“Of course, it will be 'Hui' who governs.” Tian Dan said confidently. “We haven’t finished our survey of the entire Snow Kingdom yet. We will elect a new head of state once we finish. For now, the leader of my 'Hui' will temporarily assume the position of head of state.”

"You are among the first guests after the city was transformed. We will escort you through the border and liaise with the relevant departments. Please lead the way."

Having said all that, Naruto finally couldn't help but glance at the sparse woods. But there was no panic or disorientation in those eyes that Kakashi had expected. Instead, the other person calmly gave the pre-arranged signal, instructing him to take a detour and return to the ship first.

"Hui". This name has appeared before, and each time it does, it leaves a deep impression.

Kakashi will never forget that land that thrived tenaciously amidst the yellow sands. Their material possessions may not be abundant, but their spirit is dazzling. Given time, that precious land will surely blossom with even more beautiful flowers.

Zabuza Momochi of the Land of Waves, while not openly acknowledging "Ku," invited Kuru's highest leader to participate in a festive event full of entertainment and even gave them a final blessing speech.

The two instances could be considered coincidences, but the third was definitely intentional. An organization called "Hui" is quietly planning one "rebellion" after another around the world, and has already successfully overthrown the regimes of three countries. These countries, which were suffering under the previous governments, are now thriving under "Hui's" rule.

What is their ultimate goal? Surely it can't be that they really want to liberate the oppressed people?

While his mind was racing, Kakashi's steps were also incredibly fast. The first thing he did upon reaching the ship was to use Water Release: Technique to push it. Although the force was limited, it was enough to make the ship "sink" into the mud of the shallows, creating the illusion that it was stranded.

"What's going on?!" The captain jumped out of the cabin door, which was the last thing he wanted to see.

"I'm sorry, I will compensate you for any damage caused." Kakashi, disregarding his pitiful wallet, said seriously, "We encountered a patrol team, but they are not the same people as Feng Hua Nu Tao, so the situation is still unclear. Naruto lied and said that we were stranded and that's why we didn't go to the regular port, so please don't give yourself away."

"Where's Naruto? Is the opponent very strong?" Sasuke landed from the height, and the first thing he did was ask about Naruto's whereabouts, before adding the second half of the sentence as if trying to cover up the truth.

"It's not a question of whether an individual is strong or not, but rather that the other party might be someone we know."

"Have you heard of 'Hui'? They're here too."

This name was familiar to both Sasuke and Sakura. The two had recently met someone who was said to be the leader of "Hui," and Sakura even remembered that unforgettable desert trip.

"Aren't they in the Land of Owls?" Sakura asked curiously.

Sasuke frowned, but held back the question that was about to come out of his mouth. He urgently needed to gather more information. It seemed he would have to keep a closer eye on Orochimaru's intelligence gathering from now on; the feeling of walking out only to find everything in the dark was not good.

“I was certain after our last contact that Hui’s headquarters is definitely not in the Land of Owls, otherwise there’s no reason why we haven’t seen that guy named Golden Wheel at all. Their sphere of influence is probably larger than we thought, but Konoha hasn’t gathered any relevant intelligence…” Kakashi was certainly more experienced in intelligence analysis, and he never thought that the Land of Owls and the Land of Waves were Hui’s centers. These two places were most likely just their testing grounds.

Hui's actions were all motivated by "justice," and his governance abilities were quite impressive. Both places had achieved their current state through the efforts of the other over many years, so Kakashi was somewhat biased and made a serious misjudgment of Hui's strength.

It is known that the three men received their assassination mission while they were at sea, at a time when the Snow Country was still under the control of Feng Hua Nu Tao. However, after seventeen days of sailing, the island had a new ruler who was even willing to open its doors to foreign guests. In other words, Hui not only conquered the country but also prevented internal strife, stabilizing the situation nationwide in a short period.

Even though the Snow Country is just an obscure island nation with limited national strength and population, its terrifying execution and control capabilities are truly unprecedented.

What kind of monster has been born in this world?